diff --git a/openbox/client.c b/openbox/client.c
index 0c4cce1f..4c88daf7 100644
--- a/openbox/client.c
+++ b/openbox/client.c
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ void client_manage(Window window)
            raised to the top. Legacy begets legacy I guess?
         */
         if (!client_restore_session_stacking(self))
-            client_raise(self);
+            stacking_raise(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
     }
 
     /* this has to happen before we try focus the window, but we want it to
@@ -2344,13 +2344,25 @@ static void client_calc_layer_recursive(ObClient *self, ObClient *orig,
     for (it = self->transients; it; it = g_slist_next(it))
         client_calc_layer_recursive(it->data, orig,
                                     self->layer,
-                                    raised ? raised : self->layer != old);
+                                    raised ? raised : self->layer > old);
 
-    if (!raised && self->layer != old)
-        if (orig->frame) { /* only restack if the original window is managed */
+    /* restack. but only if the original window is managed.
+
+       raised is used so that only the bottom-most window in the stacking
+       order is raised, the others will automatically come with it.
+
+       also only the highest windows in the stacking order (no transients)
+       are lowered, cuz the rest come for free
+    */
+    if (!raised && orig->frame) {
+        if (self->layer > old) {
             stacking_remove(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
-            stacking_add(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
+            stacking_add_nonintrusive(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
+        } else if (self->layer < old && self->transients == NULL) {
+            stacking_remove(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
+            stacking_add_nonintrusive(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
         }
+    }
 }
 
 void client_calc_layer(ObClient *self)
@@ -3077,7 +3089,7 @@ void client_set_desktop_recursive(ObClient *self,
             client_showhide(self);
         /* raise if it was not already on the desktop */
         if (old != DESKTOP_ALL)
-            client_raise(self);
+            stacking_raise(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
         if (STRUT_EXISTS(self->strut))
             screen_update_areas();
     }
@@ -3302,7 +3314,7 @@ void client_set_state(ObClient *self, Atom action, glong data1, glong data2)
         self->modal = modal;
         /* when a window changes modality, then its stacking order with its
            transients needs to change */
-        client_raise(self);
+        stacking_raise(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
     }
     if (iconic != self->iconic)
         client_iconify(self, iconic, FALSE);
@@ -3444,17 +3456,10 @@ static void client_present(ObClient *self, gboolean here, gboolean raise)
         return;
     if (self->shaded)
         client_shade(self, FALSE);
+    if (raise)
+        stacking_raise(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(self));
 
     client_focus(self);
-
-    if (raise) {
-        /* we do this as an action here. this is rather important. this is
-           because we want the results from the focus change to take place 
-           BEFORE we go about raising the window. when a fullscreen window 
-           loses focus, we need this or else the raise wont be able to raise 
-           above the to-lose-focus fullscreen window. */
-        client_raise(self);
-    }
 }
 
 void client_activate(ObClient *self, gboolean here, gboolean user)
@@ -3510,16 +3515,6 @@ void client_bring_helper_windows(ObClient *self)
     client_bring_helper_windows_recursive(self, self->desktop);
 }
 
-void client_raise(ObClient *self)
-{
-    action_run_string("Raise", self, CurrentTime);
-}
-
-void client_lower(ObClient *self)
-{
-    action_run_string("Lower", self, CurrentTime);
-}
-
 gboolean client_focused(ObClient *self)
 {
     return self == focus_client;
diff --git a/openbox/client.h b/openbox/client.h
index 30d40510..5a837391 100644
--- a/openbox/client.h
+++ b/openbox/client.h
@@ -550,26 +550,6 @@ void client_bring_helper_windows(ObClient *self);
 /*! Calculates the stacking layer for the client window */
 void client_calc_layer(ObClient *self);
 
-/*! Raises the client to the top of its stacking layer
-  Normally actions call to the client_* functions to make stuff go, but this
-  one is an exception. It just fires off an action, which will be queued.
-  This is because stacking order rules can be changed by focus state, and so
-  any time focus changes you have to wait for it to complete before you can
-  properly restart windows. As such, this only queues an action for later
-  execution, once the focus change has gone through.
-*/
-void client_raise(ObClient *self);
-
-/*! Lowers the client to the bottom of its stacking layer
-  Normally actions call to the client_* functions to make stuff go, but this
-  one is an exception. It just fires off an action, which will be queued.
-  This is because stacking order rules can be changed by focus state, and so
-  any time focus changes you have to wait for it to complete before you can
-  properly restart windows. As such, this only queues an action for later
-  execution, once the focus change has gone through.
-*/
-void client_lower(ObClient *self);
-
 /*! Updates the window's transient status, and any parents of it */
 void client_update_transient_for(ObClient *self);
 /*! Update the protocols that the window supports and adjusts things if they
diff --git a/openbox/event.c b/openbox/event.c
index 566739c9..0c594d6b 100644
--- a/openbox/event.c
+++ b/openbox/event.c
@@ -1019,20 +1019,55 @@ static void event_handle_client(ObClient *client, XEvent *e)
         }
 
         if (e->xconfigurerequest.value_mask & CWStackMode) {
+            ObClient *sibling = NULL;
+
+            /* get the sibling */
+            if (e->xconfigurerequest.value_mask & CWSibling) {
+                ObWindow *win;
+                win = g_hash_table_lookup(window_map,
+                                          &e->xconfigurerequest.above);
+                if (WINDOW_IS_CLIENT(win))
+                    sibling = WINDOW_AS_CLIENT(win);
+            }
+
             switch (e->xconfigurerequest.detail) {
             case Below:
-            case BottomIf:
-                /* Apps are so rude. And this is totally disconnected from
-                   activation/focus. Bleh. */
-                /*client_lower(client);*/
+                ob_debug("ConfigureRequest Below for client %s sibling %s\n",
+                         client->title, sibling ? sibling->title : "(all)");
+                /* just lower it */
+                stacking_lower(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(client));
+                break;
+            case BottomIf:
+                ob_debug("ConfigureRequest BottomIf for client %s sibling "
+                         "%s\n",
+                         client->title, sibling ? sibling->title : "(all)");
+                /* if this client occludes sibling (or anything if NULL), then
+                   lower it to the bottom */
+                if (stacking_occluded(sibling, client))
+                    stacking_lower(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(client));
                 break;
-
             case Above:
+                ob_debug("ConfigureRequest Above for client %s sibling %s\n",
+                         client->title, sibling ? sibling->title : "(all)");
+                /* activate it rather than just focus it */
+                client_activate(client, FALSE, FALSE);
+                break;
             case TopIf:
+                ob_debug("ConfigureRequest TopIf for client %s sibling %s\n",
+                         client->title, sibling ? sibling->title : "(all)");
+                if (stacking_occluded(client, sibling))
+                    /* activate it rather than just focus it */
+                    client_activate(client, FALSE, FALSE);
+            case Opposite:
+                ob_debug("ConfigureRequest Opposite for client %s sibling "
+                         "%s\n",
+                         client->title, sibling ? sibling->title : "(all)");
+                if (stacking_occluded(client, sibling))
+                    /* activate it rather than just focus it */
+                    client_activate(client, FALSE, FALSE);
+                else if (stacking_occluded(sibling, client))
+                    stacking_lower(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(client));
             default:
-                /* Apps are so rude. And this is totally disconnected from
-                   activation/focus. Bleh. */
-                /*client_raise(client);*/
                 break;
             }
         }
@@ -1601,7 +1636,7 @@ static gboolean focus_delay_func(gpointer data)
     event_curtime = d->time;
     if (focus_client != d->client) {
         if (client_focus(d->client) && config_focus_raise)
-            client_raise(d->client);
+            stacking_raise(CLIENT_AS_WINDOW(d->client));
     }
     event_curtime = old;
     return FALSE; /* no repeat */
diff --git a/openbox/stacking.c b/openbox/stacking.c
index 18747b9c..afad8ad0 100644
--- a/openbox/stacking.c
+++ b/openbox/stacking.c
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ void stacking_add_nonintrusive(ObWindow *win)
     /* insert above its highest parent (or its highest child !) */
     it_below = find_highest_relative(client);
 
-    if (!it_below) {
+    if (!it_below && client != focus_client) {
         /* nothing to put it directly above, so try find the focused client to
            put it underneath it */
         if (focus_client && focus_client->layer == client->layer) {
@@ -425,10 +425,16 @@ void stacking_add_nonintrusive(ObWindow *win)
         }
     }
     if (!it_below) {
-        /* there is no window to put this directly above, so put it at the
-           bottom */
-        stacking_list = g_list_prepend(stacking_list, win);
-        stacking_lower(win);
+        if (client == focus_client) {
+            /* it's focused so put it at the top */
+            stacking_list = g_list_append(stacking_list, win);
+            stacking_raise(win);
+        } else {
+            /* there is no window to put this directly above, so put it at the
+               bottom */
+            stacking_list = g_list_prepend(stacking_list, win);
+            stacking_lower(win);
+        }
     } else {
         /* make sure it's not in the wrong layer though ! */
         for (; it_below; it_below = g_list_next(it_below))
@@ -453,3 +459,36 @@ void stacking_add_nonintrusive(ObWindow *win)
         g_list_free(wins);
     }
 }
+
+gboolean stacking_occluded(ObClient *client, ObClient *sibling)
+{
+    GList *it;
+    gboolean obscured = FALSE;
+    gboolean found = FALSE;
+
+    /* no need for any looping in this case */
+    if (sibling && client->layer != sibling->layer)
+        return obscured;
+
+    for (it = stacking_list; it; it = g_list_next(it))
+        if (WINDOW_IS_CLIENT(it->data)) {
+            ObClient *c = it->data;
+            if (found) {
+                if (sibling != NULL) {
+                    if (c == sibling) {
+                        obscured = TRUE;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                else if (c->layer == client->layer) {
+                    obscured = TRUE;
+                    break;
+                }
+                else if (c->layer > client->layer)
+                    break; /* we past its layer */
+            }
+            else if (c == client)
+                found = TRUE;
+        }
+    return obscured;
+}
diff --git a/openbox/stacking.h b/openbox/stacking.h
index 2391f650..70e4b2d4 100644
--- a/openbox/stacking.h
+++ b/openbox/stacking.h
@@ -59,4 +59,9 @@ void stacking_lower(ObWindow *window);
 */
 void stacking_below(ObWindow *window, ObWindow *below);
 
+/*! Returns TRUE if client is occluded by sibling. If sibling is NULL it tries
+  against all other clients. Otherwise, it returns FALSE.
+*/
+gboolean stacking_occluded(struct _ObClient *client,struct _ObClient *sibling);
+
 #endif